Elevating Green, Lowering CostsIn the global movement toward greening the supply chain, much of the focus in warehousing has been on actual building systems. However, lift trucks use substantial energy and provide significant opportunities for savings. Find out how a review of consumption cost projections can help lead to energy-saving innovations and lower costs.

The Tales Lift Trucks TellAn enterprise fleet management solution is giving lift truck owners tangible benefits in time savings, lower maintenance and operating costs, fewer vehicle impacts and more pallets moved per hour. A large operation may be faced with collecting and analyzing data from tens to hundreds of trucks of various makes across a few or many facilities. With a fleet and warehouse optimization system, managers can monitor and report on vehicle and operator data – and even control performance parameters – from a computer or mobile device.

Protecting the Power SourceThe iBATTERY™ battery management system gives lift truck owners unprecedented power to monitor real-time battery condition and make decisions that optimize battery life and performance. Reduce your cost of ownership and ensure your batteries and forklifts are operating at peak efficiency with this unique battery management system. Access real-time battery data from your computer or mobile device through the unique, single view web portal – the iWAREHOUSE GATEWAY.

During this Webcast you'll learn how the latest generation of robotics systems, which incorporate vision, mobility, autonomous navigation, complex manipulation and motion control, can be used in a wide variety of appliations such as picking, placing, order fulfillment, palletizing, depalletizing, loading, unloading and many other areas.

Crown Equipment advances global fuel cell initiatives

Developments include qualification of sit-down counterbalanced forklifts to operate with fuel cells and deployment of France’s first fleet of hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts.

By Modern Materials Handling Staff
April 25, 2012 - MMH Editorial

Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s leading forklift manufacturers, today announced a couple of initiatives supporting its customers’ exploration and deployment of fuel cell-powered forklifts. Developments include qualification of sit-down counterbalanced forklifts to operate with fuel cells and deployment of France’s first fleet of hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts.

Known as the multipurpose workhorse for warehouse applications, the Crown SC 5300 Series has met approval within the company’s Fuel Cell Qualification Program that analyzes Crown electric forklifts for use with fuel cell packs. It is a member of Crown’s line of sit-down counterbalanced forklifts, which are equipped to handle multiple applications from dock work to transporting and stocking. The truck designed for fuel cells maintains similar features and benefits presented by the standard SC 5300 model. More than 20 of the company’s forklift models have been qualified for use with fuel cells.

“With numerous companies in the United States successfully integrating fuel cell-powered forklifts into their fleets and facilities, we are beginning to receive an increasing number of inquiries and interest on the technology from many of our European customers,” said Ernst Baumgartner, fuel cell project manager, Crown Equipment. “The fuel cell-powered Crown SC 5300 is a major accomplishment toward making fuel cells a viable strategic option for European customers looking to bolster the sustainability of their warehouses.”

Baumgartner is a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) Technical Committee (TC) 105, Working Group 6, which has been charged with preparing international standards regarding fuel cell technologies for electric forklift fuel cell applications. The primary focus of the standards is on performance and safety criteria, as well as interchangeability of components and parts.

Air Liquide, the leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, became the first customer to install the Crown trucks in the European market and the first operation in France to use fuel cell-powered forklifts.

“Air Liquide applauds Crown’s continuing initiative to facilitate the use of fuel cells with their forklifts. It presents a promising business potential among Crown, HyPulsion – the newly created joint venture between Axane (an Air Liquide subsidiary) and Plug Power – and Air Liquide Hydrogen Energy,” said Pierre Etienne Franc, director of technologies of the future, Air Liquide. “We are fully satisfied with this first hydrogen forklift operational deployment at the Air Liquide European Logistic Center in Vatry, France. It demonstrates our commitment to promote hydrogen energy solutions for logistic operators, a new clean and productive energy solution for captive fleets.”

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